Normally on Sunday, I have a routine, which involves either a long morning walks or a Gym session. This is normally followed by a leisurely breakfast/brunch at home or in one of many trendy local cafes. However, this particular week I opted to do something slightly different to mix things up a bit. In fact, I decided to embark on a 2-hour round trip to visit a marvellous custom-designed house in Adelaide Hills. Certainly, the time and effort were well worth as this home was completely enchanting.
In contrast to the UK, Adelaide (Australia in general) has many open home viewings rather than by appointment. Essentially this means that serious buyers or property fanatics like myself have access to some amazing residential homes (7-days of the week). The property I visited was situated in a suburb called Crafers, which is nestled in Adelaide Hills. Even though this region is in a high fire risk area the views and ambiance are pretty extraordinary. Interesting the area has also attracted a lot of artists and creative flair was illustrated in the property I visited.
Normally I would advocate that aspiring self-home builders employ the services of a reputable architect. However, sometimes, owners have a passionate vision of what they want to achieve. On many occasions, this drive and determination can be completely misguided. Fortunately, the custodians of the residence I visited in Adelaide Hills executed their concept to perfection. Really what makes this house so special is meticulous attention to detail throughout. Certainly, this eclectic dwelling won’t appeal to everyone but I was completely seduced by its alluring charms.
The building was constructed in the 1980’s but is not at all representative of the properties of the era. It was also constructed on a very steep site, which made the project even more challenging. Essentially the owners have cleverly combined a plethora of different recycled materials to create a harmonious home. For example, Oregon beams from an old wool mill, antique church windows, solid Jarrah floorboards crafted from wine barrels and Teak reclaimed from a salvaged teak Thai boat. These organic materials compliment the rammed earth walls, slate, and exposed stone walls. Overall the composition is cohesive and more exciting than many of the generic new builds in Adelaide.
